Chains of Ice
by bladegryphon
Summary: Alex is a cruel lord, Mia is his slave, Isaac is a warrior who is about to stumble into something more complicated than it seems, and Felix is the only one outside the palace who knows... or is he? (AU)
1. Prologue: Angel in captivity

Lord Alex gazed in distaste around his room in the palace, how it needed new things. He hated anything that showed any trace of wear, and many things in this room did. The edges of the tapestries were frayed, the curtains faded, and the chandeliers dull. Metal hooks holding various things around the room were somewhat rusted, and the bed sheets were getting thin.  
  
And then there was what was on the bed itself. A girl with long blue hair was chained to it, clad in nothing but a golden, gem-studded collar. Her emerald eyes, once radiant, were now dull. She needed replacing. Oh, she definitely needed replacing. Perhaps the guards would enjoy having her before he had the useless wench killed, or maybe the sharks in the moat. So many choices...  
  
"Ivan!"  
  
The summoned page appeared in the doorframe, and stood silently, awaiting his employer's orders.  
  
"Have the guards take this girl and put her back in her room until further notice. Also, get me the names of some merchants so I can replace this worn-out, worthless furniture!"  
  
In actuality, the things in the room couldn't have possibly been more than a year old, but Ivan didn't dare mention that. The lord he served was well known for harsh punishments and perfectionism. "Will there be anything else that you need, my lord?" How Ivan hated that phrase, almost as much as the one it referred to.  
  
"Yes, thank you for reminding me, my dear boy. Get some guards together for a little roundup tomorrow. I need a new pleasure slave, as this one," He nodded towards the girl on the bed. "is starting to bore me. Just tell them to look for the most attractive person in the village."  
  
"Excuse me, my lord?"  
  
Ales whirled, his hair fanning out behind him as his eyes glinted with anger. When he spoke, his voice was a dangerous whisper resembling ice, a part of the element he commanded. "You heard me, Ivan. Person. That means a male or female human. Do I have to speak more slowly for you to be able to understand me?"  
  
Trembling, the young page responded. "N-no, my lord. I can understand you quite clearly. I'll get right to it." With those words, he fled the room to do the things he was asked to.  
  
Alex turned to the girl, and taking hold of her chin in a firm grasp, he forced her to look into her eyes. A flash of anger crossed the emeralds, but it was quickly replaced by the usual dullness found within her gaze. The brown-eyed lord chuckled cruelly. "Stubborn, eh? You'll succumb to the pain sooner or later, but I do hope the former."  
  
The girl's eyes showed anger once again, and she spat into Alex's face.  
  
He wiped it off, and his expression was no different, though his eyes were far colder than before. "Trying to aggravate me again? It won't work, I'm afraid. You'll have to try harder, Mia."  
  
A growl sounded deep in her throat, one born of long rage and hatred. She flung a hand out at him ice shards forming in a small sphere around her fingertips, but going no further. Alex regarded her with amusement. "It is so very entertaining to see you try to freeze me with your pitifully weak powers, Mia. Or have you forgotten that your chains prevent you from casting any psynergy?"  
  
Another growl erupted from her throat as she lunged at Alex. He merely sidestepped, causing her to fall to the floor as the chain attached to her collar was pulled tight. "As much as you amuse me, it is time for you to go. You can meet my new slave tomorrow, and I'll require you honest opinion on them."  
  
He swept out of the room as the guards entered. They unlocked the chains, and grabbed her arms roughly before she had the chance to run, not that she had enough energy to. After having been marched down too many corridors to count, they were in the ill-kept, dirtiest area of the dungeons that was reserved for the slaves. Even those with life imprisonment had better areas to stay than these.  
  
A door on the right was unlocked, and the young slave was tossed into the room, landing on an already bruised shoulder. She cast a healing spell on herself, as the chains had been removed. Even so, there was no hope of escape, as the door was at least three inches thick, and made from the same material as the chains.  
  
Mia wondered what she had done to deserve this life, there had been nothing that she could recall of her actions that would have angered the gods. Screams sounded from elsewhere in the dungeon. Alex was probably torturing another slave who had done nothing wrong. He had a sick sense of humor, taking pleasure in the pain of others.  
  
She shifted her position in an effort to become more comfortable, but it was impossible in this place. Water dripped from cracks in the walls and ceiling, further chilling the already cold stone room. A tattered blanket, barely large enough to wrap around her lay in the corner atop a pile of straw that was starting to rot, and mice scurried across the floor from time to time.  
  
Giving up on trying to become more comfortable, Mia crawled over to the makeshift bed and lay down, unable to walk due to the sheer exhaustion she felt, both physical and emotional. She found herself wondering about Alex's parting words, not that she wanted to. Anything that he said was basically poison disguised as honey, being the ruthless bastard he was. Yet according to him, she was to be killed, and he was getting another slave to take her place. In some ways she was glad, in others, not. Mia pitied the poor person who would take her place, doomed to be tortured until they were killed. But if it meant that she could escape this place, even through death, it was worth it. Even if it meant never seeing her family ever again, it was better than waiting around in hopes of rescue.  
  
With those thoughts, Mia drifted off into a light sleep. 


	2. Flight of flame

Cookies to the following people for reviewing:  
Kevin C  
Icer Dragon 2  
QueenDragonEmpress  
Skitser  
Li Kasumi  
The Wierd One2  
MercuryKitten  
  
Also, several people requested for me to have Isaac and Mia hook up. Have no fear, you are dealing with a mudshipper here.  
  
The updating schedule: usually one chapter per weekend, likely updates when I have no school for some reason or other besides being sick.  
  
Now to start the chapter.  
  
..........................................................  
  
Isaac jumped slightly as the door to his house was slammed open and someone walked in. As he turned to see who it was, a slight hint of wry amusement crept onto his face. The newcomer showed no sign of noticing.  
  
"Have you heard? 'Lord' Alex is coming for new slaves tomorrow."  
  
The Venus adept shook his head, both at his cousin and as an answer to the question. Turning to the redhead, he said, "I hadn't."  
  
Garet snorted slightly. In his opinion, Isaac didn't talk nearly enough, and while he could find things out quite easily if he wanted to (all of the village girls were infatuated with him) he preferred to remain by himself. "We should try to get out of town."  
  
"Why? It's very likely that he's already tripled the usual guard on the walls, and the gates would have been barred."  
  
Garet snorted again and turned to the door. He was going to try to leave whether Isaac liked it or not. Grabbing his coat, he stormed out and slammed the door behind him. His cousin looked at the spot he had just been occupying and sighed. "Idiot. He knows that all who try to escape are just killed." He stood there a moment longer, indecisive. "I'd better go after him."  
  
He left the house and followed Garet's footsteps at a speed not quite that of a run. Several times, he took an alternate route because a group of girls would have been in his path otherwise, and he didn't want to be slowed down.  
  
As he neared the walls that surrounded the village, Isaac could hear screams and sounds of fighting. Wishing that he hadn't left his sword at home, but glad that he had his bow, he climbed the nearest tree and looked to the commotion.  
  
Garet was providing a distraction to allow a group of merchants and artisans leave through another gate. While an excellent fighter, it was clear that the sheer number of guards attacking him was beginning to make him tire. Without hesitation, Isaac leapt from branch to branch until he was within shooting range. Drawing an arrow, he infused it with some of his psynergy and let it fly.  
  
Going clear through one guard's chest, it struck another and created a massive shockwave that knocked all but Garet off their feet. As they recovered, the cousins caught each other's gaze and knew what they had to do. Garet was to follow the escapees and get help as he traveled with them. Isaac was to hold the guards off for as long as possible, even though it was a suicide mission.  
  
Isaac fired another arrow that caused a shockwave as Garet called forth magma from the earth. Isaac jumped from the branch he was on to a lower one, and Garet tossed him the sword that he'd been using and fled in the direction of the nearest gate. Any guards that attempted to follow him were struck down by arrows.  
  
Turning to his tree, several of the heavier guards began to hit it with their axes, cleaving it almost like a knife through butter. The venus adept shoved off the tree with his feet as it fell, causing it to crush two of the axe-wielders. Rolling as he landed, he drew his sword as he rose in time to meet the assault of those waiting for him.  
  
...................................................................  
I know that it's really short, but my friend was staying the weekend at my house. I know what's happening next, though, so expect an update on Tuesday (Veteran's day = no school). You might meet the muses that my brother so kindly gave me in his story then. 


	3. Midnight for slaves

Here's the update like I promised. And about the comment by Lord-Pisces, this is not my own version of Golden Sun, it's just a story idea that I had that originally started out as a short scene that I wrote to try to break the writer's block on my other story. As for how Alex became a lord, that will be explained in later chapters.  
  
This is the part where I would usually give cookies to the reviewers (10 of you this time! I'm so happy!)...but my muses ate them.  
  
Zephyr: WHEEEE! COOKIES!!!  
  
*looks at djinn*...Make that muse. You can see who ate them. Thankfully, my other three muses are asleep, so my sanity--  
  
Zephyr: WHEEEEEEEEEEE!!! *BouncebouncebounceboingjumpSPROING*  
  
--is temporarily intact. Won't it be fun when the others wake up... *sighs in defeat* Anyway, on with the chapter!  
  
............................................................................ ................................  
  
Garet ran to the nearest gate, and upon seeing that most of the guards there still remained, swore and took off in another direction. As he did so, two of them noticed and followed, shouting for him to stop. Pouring on extra speed, he ran into a cluster of trees and ducked behind one of them, silently praying that those following him would run right past. He didn't really get a chance to find out.  
  
A hand reached down from an upper branch of the tree and pulled him up into it, another clapping over his mouth to prevent a yell of surprise. Once the mars adept had relaxed upon realizing who it was, the figure removed his hand and motioned for Garet to follow him, as he went from branch to branch much like Isaac had previously.  
  
The trees stopped about 100 meters from the wall, so they had to wait until the sentries had passed before they dashed to the wall. Garet hid in the shadows while the other cast growth, and they scampered up the wall, dropping down on the other side and heading into the depths of the forest beyond.  
  
They walked for some time in silence until Garet broke it by saying, "And to think that Isaac calls me an idiot. Compared to you, I'm a genius."  
  
The other figure stopped moving for a moment, turning to face him. "Why is that?"  
  
Garet paused as well as he responded. "Felix, you're a wanted man there. Even more than Isaac and I are. If you're caught there... I don't even want to think about it. Alex-"  
  
Felix cut him off sharply. "Don't even speak that fool's name. It's because of him that I'm out here. And I don't want to think about it either."  
  
The mars adept was about to respond, but was cut off by a yell from another as they reached the camp of escapees. "FELIX! What the HELL did you think you were doing back at the village?!"  
  
"Jenna, calm down. I wasn't caught, and Garet's alive because of me."  
  
"I don't care about that! Get your ass over here!"  
  
"Jenna..."  
  
"NOW!"  
  
Felix sighed and began to walk over to be yelled at by his sister. Glancing back to see if Garet would help him get out of it, he saw the mars adept laughing his head off. Felix cast a small quake in annoyance, then stalked off to where his very angry sibling was.  
  
A set of giggles came from behind Garet as he stood up after Felix's revenge. Turning, he saw a certain Jupiter adept on top of a nearby outcrop of rocks. Sheba motioned for him to come over, and he did so, standing near the base of the structure. They stood there watching the siblings bicker for a while, then Sheba spoke. "As amusing as this is, it's almost sad at the same time."  
  
"Oh? In what way?"  
  
Sheba shook her head. "Felix is... I mean... ergh. How do I explain this?"  
  
"Looking at Felix's position now, as opposed to that of several years ago?"  
  
"You're not the brightest around, but that's what I meant." Jumping down from the rocks, Sheba started to walk towards the sea of tents. "Goodnight, Garet."  
  
"Goodnight." The mars adept remained where he was. After all, it was a good location to watch Jenna beat her brother up without getting caught.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Ivan, will you please stop pacing?" The jupiter adept in question looked down to see that he's started wearing a hole in the carpet. Before he could respond, the other person spoke up again. "Not the carpet, dummy. You're making me dizzy."  
  
Ivan smiled apologetically. "Sorry. It's a nervous habit of mine."  
  
Groaning slightly, the other person snapped. "I don't care if it's intentional or not. Just stop it!"  
  
"Sorry." Ivan sat sown in a nearby chair and turned his gaze to the other. "Where do you think he's gone?"  
  
"Who? Alex?"  
  
"Where is your memory today, Piers? Of course I'm talking about Alex."  
  
"Headaches give me short-term memory. And a short temper." Piers raised a hand to his forehead and cast ply. "Much better. Hadn't you said something about Alex wanting a new slave?"  
  
Ivan was so startled, he fell out of his chair. "I never said anything about that!"  
  
"You did over by the barracks."  
  
Ivan stood up and dusted himself off, then went to stand over by the window. "Phew. For a moment there I thought that you were becoming a jupiter adept. But what were you doing over there?"  
  
"Alex has a habit of sending his advisors to make sure that his guards are all still loyal. Not that I'm very pleased about it."  
  
"What about the other advisors, Piers?"  
  
The mercury adept snorted. "Fanatics. All of them."  
  
"Well, for once I'm glad that I'm only Alex's page."  
  
"Ugh. You should be. Every time I'm around them, I feel like I'm going to scream."  
  
Smiling at the thought of the dignified adept screaming, Ivan returned to the original topic of discussion. "Still, what makes you think that this has anything to do with Alex getting a new slave?"  
  
"His specified time was 'tomorrow', right?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Look outside, Ivan." The younger adept obliged and opened the curtains. Soft light streamed through the window as Piers pointed out the position of the moon in the sky. "It's after midnight."  
  
............................................................................ .........  
  
Other three muses; *wake up*  
  
Crud... They woke up...  
  
Two things before I run from them;  
1: REVIEW!!!  
2: Keep the ideas of what you want to happen next coming! (I only have a veeeeeeeeeery sketchy idea of where this is going right now. I'll need your help!) 


	4. The Pirate's guard

Well, here's another chapter, along with cookies for my -6- reviewers (hint hint, readers) I actually have some this time, due to a sleeping potion that Rouge-of-Fortune gave me that works on muses only. Mine were out like lights. I still hope that you won't have to meet them soon... they drive me crazy enough as is without having any extra viewers to "entice" them...  
Anyway, on with the chapter!  
  
............................................................................ .....  
  
"Well?"  
  
The commander trembled nervously under his lord's gaze. Unforgiving at the best of times, the mercury adept was furious, as could be told by the growing layer of frost in the surrounding area. He dared not to respond however, afraid of angering Alex further.  
  
"Would you care to explain the scorched buildings and the bodies of your dead colleagues, Briggs?"  
  
Nervously, the pirate-turned-soldier responded. "M-my lord, it was Isaac and Garet. They've been hiding here the whole time disguised as the blacksmiths that you hired."  
  
"Those two, hm? Then Felix must be nearby..." Turning to a nearby group of trackers, he spoke, "Check all around the city. Anyone you find, capture if you can, but don't hesitate to kill... unless it's one of them. I want those damned adepts alive to deal with personally." Facing Briggs again, he continued. "As for you, your title of commander is gone. You are to report to the dungeons at sunrise tomorrow for guard duty."  
  
Briggs' shoulders trembled with barely contained rage as he responded, "Yes, my lord." With that, he turned and walked away, heading for the village square.  
  
Satisfied for now with the other's anger and submission, Alex left in another direction, cloak swirling behind him as he beckoned for his bodyguards to bring his new slave with him.  
  
As he reached the square, Briggs turned down another street and stopped in front of one of the houses, his own. Sighing slightly at the thought of bringing more bad news, he knocked once, then pushed the door open and entered. As he shut the door behind him, his wife Chaucha looked up from the bread that she had been cutting and raised an eyebrow to ask him why he looked so downcast.  
  
"Alex stripped me of my title of commander. As of now, I am nothing more than a lowly dungeon guard." He would have said more, but Eoleo had come over and was now hugging his leg. Chuckling at his antics, the former commander picked up his son in a bear hug.  
  
After setting the child down, he turned to his wife again. "What are we going to do? Alex goes through dungeon guards faster than his best horses can run, and when his guards are no longer employed, he uses them for his own purposes. And with the pay reduce, we can't afford to send money with merchants to our hometown anymore, and they need it more than ever with winter coming and all!"  
  
Chaucha remained silent until, exhausted by his venting, Briggs collapsed in a nearby chair. "Briggs, the only way to get through this is to get out of here."  
  
Snorting, her husband replied sarcastically, "Yes, which will positively be the easiest thing in the world with the best trackers around looking for the escapees, all of them knowing of my new position."  
  
"Don't be dumb. You trained most of them yourself, so you know the area even better than they do."  
  
"Even so, I don't think that we'd be able to get far enough away before they caught us. At most ten miles, I'd say."  
  
Chaucha took a seat across from him, resting her elbows on the table as she thought of possible solutions. After several minutes, she saw a toy ship hovering directly in front of her. Dismissing it as a hallucination due to lack of sleep, she sat up straight and blinked the sleepiness out of her eyes. When she realized that the ship was still there, she looked in Eoleo's direction.  
  
Sure enough, the red-haired child had an outstretched hand pointed at the floating model, giggling happily. Briggs jumped up from where he had been, exclaiming, "Eoleo, you're a genius! You just reminded me that there's a hidden port a few miles away, run by pirates. If Alex hasn't found and destroyed it yet, then we should be able to find a ship and escape. We could return to a life of piracy!"  
  
Nodding at the pirate's suggestion, Chaucha began to help assemble the things that they would need to reach the port.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Mars, I hate this job," grumbled one of the trackers as she pushed her way through the underbrush in hopes of finding traces of the escapees. A branch whapped her in the face as she accidentally let go from holding it back, and seconds later, there was nothing left but a pile of ash.  
  
"Please, Menardi. We have to find them, or risk getting caught."  
  
"Shut up, Saturos. You're just as annoyed as I am, both with what we have to do and who we have to do it for."  
  
"True." The blue-haired man knelt down to inspect some disturbed plants, but dismissed it as a wolf's fault. "At least we're likely to lose another of those stupid fanatics tonight."  
  
Turning in surprise, Menardi asked, "Oh? And how are we going to eliminate another one of his advisors this time?"  
  
"Agatio and Karst are planning something, but you know how they are. Not telling anyone, changing plans at the last minute in case someone suspected them of it. But I'm pretty sure of who they're going after this time."  
  
"I hope that it's the annoying one."  
  
"That's what I think, too." Pushing aside another branch, he uncovered a clearing that the two immediately began to inspect. "Still nothing... come on, we should head back over near the walls. It'll probably be easier to spot the tracks there; they'd have had to jump over the wall."  
  
"And we'll be able to help Briggs without winding up in his position ourselves."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Just a hunch, my friend." The two of them stopped searching for the time being, and headed in the direction of the village walls. 


	5. Pranks and Revelations

*gives cookies to reviewers* Wahhhhhhhh!!!! I have exams next week, but my muses are making it impossible for me to study! Wahhhhhh!!!!!!!!  
  
Balm: *half asleep* It's not my fault. I'm being quiet.  
  
*snorts* yeah, until Flash, being his klutzy self, makes something fall on you. Or until Zephyr gets a sugar high (which, unfortunately, is normal) Or until Sap begins ranting about his latest plot to take over the world. Are you still the quietest one?  
  
Balm: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ  
  
Jeez... no support whatsoever. Well, I have something to say that I forgot to in the past few chapters: the rating will not go up unless too many people think that it should.  
  
Anyway, on with the chapter.  
  
...................................................................  
  
"Agatio, hurry up. Alex will be back any minute now." The said mars adept grumbled under his breath, but picked up the heavy box anyway.  
  
"Oof! Karst, what the hell is in this thing?!"  
  
Karst kept walking, but her companion could tell that there was an evil smirk creeping onto her face. "Oh, just a few things to mess lord Scrooge here up. Hair dye, gunpowder, you know..."  
  
Agatio was still grumbling by the time that they reached Alex's quarters. Setting down the box as quickly as he could without dropping it, he began rubbing his arms to get rid of the numbness. "I know that I'm strong, but that box was almost too heavy for me."  
  
"Quiet. We can't afford to let anybody hear us." She turned to the box and began setting up the traps that they'd been planning for weeks. Several minutes later, she stood back to admire her handiwork. "Well? Can you see anything different about this room?"  
  
Agatio looked up to see that the room looked exactly the same as before... except for the box he had brought in now being empty. "Nope. Now let's get the box out of here."  
  
"Whoever said it had to be removed?" Karst punched the box several times to reduce it to a pile of broken planks, then threw it into the large fireplace and cast flare. As the wood began to burn, she took a scroll out of her pocket and placed it on Alex's desk, being sure to shove about half of its contents to the floor first. Smiling evilly again, she motioned for Agatio to follow her as she left the room and headed for the barracks. "Scrooge and the old coot won't know what hit them."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Mia woke from her restless slumber as the door to her cell opened, causing it to become half-illuminated with the flickering light from the torches that Alex's guards held. Alex himself stood between them, an ever- present haughty smirk gracing his features as he spoke. "I wasn't kidding when I told you that I'd want an opinion on my new slave. I expect one next time I come here."  
  
A body was thrown roughly to the floor of the cell, but she couldn't make out the features because of her captor's fast departure. She glared at the door for a few minutes, took one more glance at the person, and fell asleep again.  
  
The mercury adept woke up several hours later as small beams of light found their way though the crack under the door. Stretching as she yawned, Mia started slightly as her foot hit something. Looking over, she saw that it was the person from before. He lay unmoving in the same position he had landed when tossed.  
  
Becoming slightly worried, she moved over and rested his head on her knees, casting ply in attempt to wake him up while muttering, "You'd better live through this. I don't want to stay any longer than necessary." As she was about to retreat to her usual place, she noticed a pool of blood where he had been, and turning him over, the mercury adept revealed a shallow gash in his back. Sighing in annoyance, she healed that as well.  
  
Mia sat back to study his features as best she could in the dim light as she waited she waited for him to wake up. He was pale in both skin and hair, fairly skinny yet muscular as well. His hands were long and thin, but calloused from work.  
  
Mia's observations were interrupted as dark eyes of innumerable depths flickered open, their intense gaze focused directly on her. His face darkened with a blush as he turned away from her and removed his tunic, tossing it in her direction. She put it on instantly, despite their size difference; while it only went to mid-thigh on him, it was almost to her knees.  
  
Still slightly shocked at the intensity of his gaze, she asked, "What's your name?"  
  
He faced her again, his eyes seeming to pierce into her soul as he responded.  
  
"Isaac." 


	6. Opposites in the dungeon and council

*gives cookies to all 17 reviewers* Wow, a new record! Anyway, I survived exams-  
  
Sap: DAMNIT!  
  
... as I was saying BEFORE I was interrupted, I survived the exams, but I didn't update earlier because I was still recovering from them.  
  
Sap: Excuses, excuses.  
  
Do you really want me to lock you in the pantry after emptying it?  
  
Sap: *makes bambi eyes* Please, don't do that to meeeeeee...  
  
...You know, bambi eyes REALLY don't work when used by a fat, 2-inch-tall blob bent on taking over the world.  
  
Sap: True, but listening to the Riverdance soundtrack didn't help you write this chapter.  
  
That's why I switched to LoTR halfway through.  
  
Sap: Still, y-  
  
On with the chapter!  
  
Sap: HEY!  
  
..................................................................  
  
Ivan gasped for air as he ran up the spiral staircase towards Alex's quarters. As his page, the jupiter adept was supposed to have the candles lit and a fire in the fireplace by the time Alex reached his quarters. Praying that it wasn't too late, I van put on a final burst of speed to reach the landing... and found himself looking at Alex through the open door.  
  
"The candles weren't lit, and the door was open. Would you care to explain why?"  
  
Thinking fast, Ivan responded. "There was a problem in the servant's quarters that they needed me to fix, my lord. I'm sorry."  
  
"And you shut, but forgot to lock the door behind you, no doubt." Ivan nodded. He was somewhat relieved, as Alex appeared to believe him, but he knew that it could change in a mere second. Alex continued, "But, seeing as the door was open, would you happen to know who came into my quarters without permission... besides Kraden?"  
  
The mercury adept gestured to his desk. The usually neat piles of papers were all over the floor, and a scroll belonging to Alex's aforementioned advisor lay where the piles once had. "He's the clumsiest of my advisors, but even when unlocked, he isn't strong enough to push open the door."  
  
"Um, I think that it was Karst... but I'm not quite sure." Ivan was good friends with the proxian, but she was the only one who he could blame believably. She was also one of Alex's best bodyguards, so she would likely get a much lighter punishment than the jupiter adept.  
  
"Karst..." Alex tapped his chin thoughtfully. "She does have a habit of never picking up after others, and Kraden never lets anyone other than him and myself touch his scrolls." Alex shook his head in annoyance as he lit one of the candles.  
  
A small explosion sounded as he did so, and the mercury adept leaped back as the flame grew rapidly before shrinking to normal size. "Mars adepts and their pranks, " growled Alex as he swept out of the room furiously. Ivan slumped against the wall, weak-kneed with relief.  
  
Alex swept through the halls in a blind fury, layers of ice coating everything nearby as he walked. "Trying to singe my hair? Nice try, Karst."  
  
The lord reached the barracks and threw Karst's door open, nearly tearing it off the hinged in the process. Looking up innocently, she asked, "Is there a problem, my lord?"  
  
"Besides gunpowder on the candles, Briggs failed to show up for dungeon duty. You will take his shift." Karst cast fireball on him, negated by a quick douse. "Be thankful that your punishment isn't worse."  
  
"Fine." The hot-tempered adept stalked out the door, headed for the dungeons. Aware of Alex's presence behind her, she whirled and asked, "Exactly why are you following me?"  
  
"Partly to make sure that you don't shirk your duty, and partly because this is the fastest way to get to the audience hall."  
  
Muttering under her breath, Karst continued on, sighing in relief as the lord left off from following her. Reaching her new post, she leaned against the wall and sighed in both annoyance and boredom, but was startled as a voice she recognized called her.  
  
"Karst?"  
  
"Isaac? What the hell are you doing in there?" Looking around, she was able to pinpoint which door the voice came from. "Caught resisting the guards or something?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
The mars adept snorted. "Look, if you can give me enough time, I'll help you out of there. Lord bastard here put me on dungeon duty for pulling a prank on him."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You and your one-word answers." Karst then turned and began walking toward the dungeon entrance to pilfer the key to his cell.  
  
* * * * * * * Meanwhile, in the audience hall... * * * * * * *  
  
--Will this pointlessness ever stop?--  
  
Piers rubbed his temples as he listened to the blabbering of the other advisors. Currently, Conservato was saying something about needing to spend less on the village and more on the palace.  
  
--I hate being trapped here with these idiots.--  
  
Alex said something to Conservato, who sat down looking very pleased with himself. Akafubu was now saying something about moving the religion further towards worshipping him, and away from worshipping the elemental guardians such as Haures or Moloch.  
  
--Bunch of shit, if you ask me. I don't know why I continue to allow myself to be force to come to these. It's not like I became Alex's advisor willingly!--  
  
"Piers, do you have anything to say?"  
  
The Lemurian looked up in surprise, his golden eyes meeting Alex's gray ones. "No, my lord."  
  
"Well, in that case, all advisors are dismissed."  
  
Piers got up and left the room as quickly as possible, not wanting to spend any more time than necessary with the ones ruining the village. 


	7. Warning and escape

Oh, I am SO sorry for not updating sooner! Really! My weekend was crazy, and I have another one coming up, so...  
  
Flash: This chapter is extra long to make up for it! *begins dancing around*  
  
Hey, you're the klutzy one, you better watch out-  
  
Flash: Oops. *knocks GBA to the floor* Sorrysorrysorrysorry!  
  
Well, it looks okay... no problem. Go annoy my bother.  
  
Flash: Happily! *zooms off*  
  
Before I forget, here are the cookies for my reviewers *gives them out* I hope that you like this chapter, I'm not so fond of it...  
  
.................................  
  
"What should we do?"  
  
"Storm the castle."  
  
"And get killed? No thanks."  
  
"We have friends who are guards!"  
  
"They won't help much."  
  
"You-"  
  
"We wait." Garet, Jenna and Felix turned to look at the jupiter adept, who gazed calmly back at them with her Jade eyes. "There will be someone at the palace who can help us."  
  
Both mars adepts snorted. "Oh really? Well, who besides Garet here wants to volunteer to go find that person and have their head chopped off in the process?"  
  
"Obviously not the sister of the previous-"  
  
"Quiet!" Again, the mars adepts stopped arguing to look at one of their companions, but this time, it was Felix. He was staring suspiciously at a tree off to their left. Abruptly, he stood and threw a quake spell in it's direction.  
  
"Ow!" A man with brown hair and a tan vest plummeted to the ground as a cry of worry rang out from the nearby trees. Soon, a red-haired toddler and his mother came into view, rushing over to check the fallen man for injuries.  
  
Turning to Felix, the woman asked, "Why did you do that to him? What did he do to deserve it?"  
  
"It depends on what, exactly, commander Briggs is doing out here, especially with his family."  
  
"Escaping, and I'm not a commander anymore," muttered the pirate as he sat up, gingerly rubbing a lump forming on the back of head. "Never did, like Alex, but there's not much we can do, seeing as the previous lord's children are all dead."  
  
"Felix, help them out. They can join the resistance."  
  
"Yes, sister dear," was her brother's sarcastic reply as he healed Briggs. Helping him up, he returned to his spot by the other, followed by the other adepts and, after invitation, the pirates.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
Looking down the passage, Karst swore under her breath. There were at least five other soldiers standing near the table that with the keys, and she wasn't on very good terms with any of them. She retreated to her post and waited for nightfall.  
  
Once the rather uneventful day had passed, she returned to the key table between shifts. Seeing that no one was nearby, she quickly seized the keys and made her way over to Isaac and Mia's cell. Sliding the key in, she turned it and opened the door slowly to avoid any creaks.  
  
"Took you long enough." Mia glared from her position against the far wall where she was sitting.  
  
"I didn't get an opportunity until now, so just shut up and follow me." The prisoners stayed put. "All right, I got the keys, I unlocked the door, why aren't you two coming? You can escape!" Karst's temper wasn't helping the situation much.  
  
"Distraction."  
  
"Big deal. He'd go after the resistance anyway."  
  
Isaac didn't respond, signaling that he had heard Karst and didn't agree with her, but coudn't back up his argument. Instead, Mia spoke, "Alex will be focusing on us instead of capturing the others."  
  
"Yeah, like that'd work." Karst snorted.  
  
"Alex doesn't know that Felix and Jenna are still alive! He hasn't been pursuing them as much as he could!  
  
"He knows that the numbers grow each day."  
  
"But he hasn't targeted any of you in the palace." The voices of the arguing women grew louder and louder to the point where a certain venus adept couldn't take it anymore. "Shut up!"  
  
Karst and Mia turned to look at him is astonishment; neither had ever heard him be that loud before. "If you two keep arguing, the next shift will hear it. Let's just get out of here."  
  
Quickly regaining her composure, Karst took control of the situation. "We can use the door that goes to the kitchen gardens to escape."  
  
"Fine." The mars adept's annoyance mounted again as Isaac brushed past her and began leading them down the hallway. She looked back to make sure that Mia was coming, and their gazes caught and held.  
  
"I don't know why he trusts you, or why you're helping us."  
  
"Let's just say that it comes from a mutual desire to mess Alex up as much as possible." Silence settled in, and upon realizing that they'd managed to fall quite far behind, they quickened their pace.  
  
By the time they managed to catch up with the venus adept, he had already climbed the fence of the gardens, and was perched on top of it, observing the patterns that the sentries path's made.  
  
Seeing a break in the defense, Karst pointed it out to the others, and they ran for it as it reappeared.  
  
"Halt! Who dares to try to escape?"  
  
"It's them! Mia and the new slave!"  
  
"We'll help you, Karst!" Three guards lunged from the darkness, forcing Isaac and Mia to dodge their swords. Karst snarled as their faces were revealed in the torchlight.  
  
"Azart! Satrage! Navampa! Why have you abandoned your posts?"  
  
"But miss-"  
  
"Don't you 'but miss' me! You know your orders, go obey them!"  
  
"Our orders are to let no prisoners escape."  
  
"Alex ordered me to move them to the cave complex in Lunpa. Back to your posts! NOW!" The three she was yelling at scattered. Silently, she waved at the venus and mercury adepts as she went through the now-unguarded gate. They followed her in the same manner, soon disappearing into the forest.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Consider this a warning, Piers." The mercury adept glanced down at his body, encased from feet to mid-chest in ice, before returning his glare to the one speaking to him. "If you don't shape up..."  
  
"Then I get thrown in the dungeons for having done nothing, seeing as I never wanted to be involved in this whole mess in the first place."  
  
"You know quite well that Coservarto was simply thrilled at the chance to become one of my advisors, and as an ambassador's attendant, your duty is to remain with him."  
  
"Wrong. First, my duty is to Lemuria, and second, the only reason I'm still alive is because you needed someone to fill the position of you sixth advisor."  
  
"Silence." Alex's hand shot out, and Piers' head snapped back as a red mark appeared on his cheek. "Just for that, I'll prove your earlier comment wrong."  
  
"What's the matter, are the dungeons too easy to escape from?"  
  
"No, I've just decided that it would be easier to have you killed." He swept out of the room, allowing the icy prison to melt. Piers dropped to the floor, and as he cast ply on his cheek, he swore that that smirk wouldn't remain on Alex's face much longer.  
  
"Soon, those who you've hurt will have their revenge. Ivan has seen everything, and there is nothing you can do to stop it."  
  
..............................................  
  
Flash: Ooh, it's buzzing!  
  
*groans* I knew there was something wrong! You probably... Oh, no...  
  
???: I HAVE FURY!!!!!  
  
Yep... you just gave me a fifth muse by mistake... Anybody who guesses who it is gets mentioned in author's note at the beginning of the next chapter; just stick your guess in the review. *points at little lavender button at bottom of screen* Please? 


	8. Water's song

Bleah, another short update...  
  
Fawful: Yes, but shorter than usual, like eating a green bean that's been growing for too long.  
  
Shut up, you stupid muse. Anyway, congrats to Peta25 and Kevin C for guessing who my new muse was correctly.  
  
Fawful: Say why the fruits of your labors have been lessened, the readers will love you like chocolate and forgive you like marshmallows that way.  
  
...You make no sense whatsoever, Fawful. I haven't really been in the mood to write lately, and I've been getting one virus after another.  
  
Fawful: On the computer?  
  
No, stupid, virus as in a cold of some sort. So that's my excuse for having a short, late update. I'm starting to get into the mood for writing again, but being a terrible procrastinator, I can't give any set times for updates anymore... heh heh...  
  
Fawful: bladegryphon does not own Golden Sun, Skies of Arcadia or any of Lorenna McKennitt's lyrics. Muahahahaha! I snuck a disclaimer into your story!  
  
-_-* Just ignore him...  
  
............................................................  
  
"This is where I leave you." Her two companions turned to look at her in surprise. "I'm needed back at the palace." She began walking back the way they had come, her twin red capes flaring behind her in a slight breeze until she disappeared into the mist.  
  
"Well, talk about your typical bitch." Mia crossed her arms and gazed at Karst's path in disgust.  
  
"She has her rough edges, but she's not so bad once you get to know her."  
  
"What would you know?"  
  
"About her? More than you." Emerald eyes glared at shielded sapphire ones, a silent challenge until the gaze was broken, the emerald returning to the path taken by mars.  
  
"Maybe." Mia then turned her eyes skyward, searching for the sun through a gap in the leaves. They'd been walking since moonset, and it was now near noon. Spotting it, she followed its path with her eyes and began heading in a separate direction once she had determined where the northern horizon was.  
  
The blond traveler watched her, asking, "Why are you going that way?"  
  
"Is there anything wrong with going home?"  
  
His blue eyes darkened. "The borders are swamped with guards. You'll only be recaptured."  
  
"What reason do I have to listen to you?"  
  
"..."  
  
"That's what I thought. Good bye and good riddance." His head snapped up, his normally piercing eyes glazed over with shock. "I don't have any need of help, and I don't want any."  
  
Isaac's eyes reverted to their normal impassiveness. "Then be on your way. See if I care."  
  
"It doesn't matter either way." She continued on, despite the blue gaze following her.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
Night fell, and Mia leaned against a moss-covered tree to rest before moving on again, but she fell asleep by mistake.  
  
The mercury adept was woken by a group of gypsies that had decided to camp nearby. It sounded as though they were having a small party, with all the lively music coming from around there. But one voice in particular drifted to her ears as a sadder piece began.  
  
"I walk the streets of Dublin town  
It's 1842  
It's snowing on this Christmas Eve  
Think I'll beg another bob or two  
I'll huddle in this doorway here  
Till someone comes along  
If the lamp lighter comes real soon  
Maybe I'll go home with him  
Maybe I can find a place I can call my home  
Maybe I can find a home I can call my own..."  
  
Reminded of her current situation, tears began to slowly creep down her face as she rose, intent on heading back the way she had come. Mia didn't know why... she only had the urge to do so, and chose to follow it.  
  
..................................................  
  
*points at little purple button* Review? Leave ideas? Please? 


	9. A Link in minds

Fawful: This is yet another, short, yucky update, my sweet friend!  
  
Sap: Shaddup, cheesecake head. She's sick, and she has a writer's block on the next scene she has to write. Something about the Proxians.  
  
Flash: If she's sick, then why did she start writing =Isaac hood: Adepts in tights=?  
  
Balm: *yawns* Beats me. She probably just took her brother's advice and started writing humor.  
  
Sap: Why?  
  
Balm: She's co-authoring one of his stories, he said she was good at it, etc.  
  
Sap: Oh.  
  
bladegryphon: *shoos the muses away* Get out of here, all of you! Heh, sorry to all my readers, this is all that I've written since the last chapter, due to a stupid writer's block that won't go away. I'm posting this now because one of my reviewers requested it, so all of you have to thank Mesoforte for this!  
  
.........................................................................  
  
"Hey, what are you doing out here? I called you for dinner at least fifteen minutes ago, Sheba."  
  
The said jupiter adept looked up to meet Jenna's curious gaze. "I'm not very hungry right now."  
  
Jenna sat down beside her, looking into the river as well. "That's not all, is it." While she couldn't read minds, the mars adept still had a pretty good sense of what emotion a person would be feeling. "You seem sad and defeated."  
  
Sheba sighed and dipped her foot into the running water, not minding the chills sent up her spine. "I've been trying to contact Isaac through a mind link, but it's not working; he's either out of my range, or in a psynergy-sealed place..."  
  
"... C-could he be dead?"  
  
"No, I would've sensed it if he was..." Both were fighting the moisture forming in their eyes, due to worry over their friend. "I'll try again a little later. You go back to the others."  
  
Jenna stood and walked over to the edge of the clearing before saying, "Only if you promise to come eat within the hour."  
  
"Of course I will, you don't have to worry about me." The red-clad girl nodded and left, allowing Sheba to focus on contacting Isaac again. Ignoring all things around her, she projected her mind over the area, searching for the aura that he sent out, passing over all others... until her focus was abruptly yanked out of her control.  
  
The jupiter adept cried out and clutched her head, but she couldn't break the mental grip of the one who had seized her. A voice came over the connection, sounding panicked and afraid, yet timid at the same time. ::Please, you have to help me, I can't take this anymore, get me out of here!::  
  
::Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?:: She forced her thoughts over the connection, barely able to break through the disorganized jumble reaching her mind.  
  
::I'm at the palace, please, you-::  
  
::At the palace? As in, near Alex?!::  
  
::Y-yes... why? Who are you?::  
  
::I'm part of the resistance against him. Maybe we can help each other.::  
  
::Like me giving you information to help overthrow him?::  
  
::Exactly. How much do you think you could get?:: Sheba could barely conceal her excitement. If this person was close enough to Alex, then the resistance could cause all kinds of trouble that would be otherwise impossible.  
  
::I... I could probably get quite a bit, I think. I mean, nothing's certain, but I'm friends with one of his advisors, and I'm also his page...::  
  
Sheba's jaw dropped. She just couldn't believe her luck. ::That's... that's great! Look, I have to tell this to the others, I'll contact you again later, okay?::  
  
::Um, sure... anything I can do right now to help out?::  
  
::...Well, it would really help if you could start picking off his advisors -- not the one that you're friends with, of course.::  
  
::I'll tell Menardi that. I know -- well, I think -- her sister would love to do that, being the prankster she is.::  
  
::Great.:: Sheba felt the connection break and her headache recede as she stood up to go tell the others the good news.  
  
.....................................................................  
  
Zephyr: Review! And go read Kevin C's stories, as they're pretty good! 


	10. Fourteen years back

bladegryphon:AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! FORGIVE ME! *throws self at the reviewer's knees begging for mercy*  
  
Sap: *sweatdrops* She's had a writer's block, is sorry for taking so long to update, and it pissed off at having only received one review so far for chapter two of Adepts in Tights.  
  
bladegryphon: *points at Sap* What he said. I know it's a short update, but there are still lingering traces of the @#T^#*%^R$&@!#((!% writer's block that all have come to fear and hate.  
  
Sap: You do realize that I'm now your most-used muse?  
  
bladegryphon: Suck it up and do the disclaimer.  
  
Sap: blade not own GS.  
  
............................................................................ .....................  
  
"Karst." An icy voice drifted down the hall of the barracks, waking her from slumber. "I'm so... shall we say, glad... to see you return." Alex stepped into the room, and with even more malice in his voice than before, said, "Without the prisoners, of course."  
  
"I owed him a favor." Alex opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off. "The laws of the Vale territory state that all debts must be paid as specified by the one it is owed to, if deep enough."  
  
"Not anymore, my dear. I changed them the moment I came to my rule."  
  
"Hmph."  
  
"Luckily for you, I'm feeling merciful today. You can go free from this, but ONLY because you're one of my best guards." Alex swept out of the room, leaving a trail of ice in his wake. Soon after, the other three Proxian guards entered.  
  
Menardi spoke first. "We heard something, and saw all that ice. Defying the laws again, Karst?"  
  
Glaring at her sister, she replied, "No. I'm obeying the rightful ones, the ones before Alex."  
  
"What?! But Alex's line has always ruled here!" commented a shocked Saturos.  
  
Karst shook her head. "Agatio and I were here before either of you were moved from duty in Prox. Alex... he isn't the real lord. Not even a drop of the line's blood runs in his veins."  
  
Agatio continued, "He came about fourteen years ago and murdered the previous lord and lady, taking the throne for himself. Their children, a boy and a girl, survived. We just don't know where they are, so we can't really overthrow Alex. Many of the people living there now came with him, already unquestioningly loyal."  
  
"Vale isn't a prominent part of Weyard's nobility, so nobody really noticed, or even cared after they did. He makes me so angry, I just want to go kill something! A lot of sometings."  
  
Menardi silently agreed with her sister as she and Saturos left the room. Agatio turned to the room's other occupant and asked, "Why'd you owe Isaac a favor?"  
  
"I saved his life a few years back. It's nothing to be proud of" spat Karst as she made shooing motions. Shrugging, Agatio followed the other two proxians out.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
Sheba threaded her way through the trees, musing over the conversation she'd just held. The more she thought about it, the less she liked the idea. How did she know the person was trustworthy? What if it was really Alex in disguise, or even someone who was under his complete control? No, she couldn't trust this mysterious person. Not yet.  
  
The others looked up as she entered the camp, a few nodding as she passed. Paying them no mind, she continued until she reached Felix's tent. The jupiter adept cleared her throat to announce her presence, and was called in.  
  
"Well?" Felix looked up from the maps he'd been studying, as did Jenna.  
  
"I... I have something I need to tell you." Sitting, she began her explination.  
  
"..." The venus adept simply stood and walked out as she finished, leaving the two girls alone together.  
  
"So you didn't find him. Even when you tried again after I left."  
  
"Do you think..."  
  
"You already asked earlier." Sheba shifted into a more comfortable position. "He's alive. We just don't know where... or for how much longer." 


	11. Ripples in the Scrying Pool

Don't even tell me. I DON'T want to know how long it's been since my last update...  
  
Zephyr: All right, all right. I won't.  
  
Thank you. I an SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for not having updated this earlier!!!! I wanted to but I had no inspiration... Gomen Nasai! Entshuligung!!! (Japenese and German for "I'm sorry")  
  
Sap: A short, random update, I see.  
  
*whacks Sap* No comments from the djinni gallery.  
  
Zephyr: And now, to respond to the reviews:  
  
Kevin C: *shrug* Didn't really think about that. Ah, well.  
Mesoforte: Thanks! By the way, it's "miss", not "mister"  
Rai Dorian: Here's more kinky Alex for ya! Sorry about the short chapters, I'll try to make them longer. It all depends on how much inspiration I have at the time.  
Dark-Titan: Delivered as requested! Sorry about the wait!  
cheetah7071: Your guess used to be right, but... My ideas changed! They're not the missing kids anymore ^__^  
Kaori: *cracks up* I think that was one of the actual pranks; He just hasn't sat down in his desk chair yet!  
Mastah Classah: Well, you'll see if the stopping happens or not this chapter... and who knows about the upsurping? Not even me, yet!  
  
Also, MANY thanks to Mastah Classah for calling this story the best Golden Sun chapter fic, and for giving me a starting point from which to get up off my ass and find inspiration!  
  
Anyway, on with the story!  
  
"Speech"  
--Thoughts--  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mia wrapped her arms around herself as a shiver traversed her spine. Someone's eyes were trained to her form, but she didn't know whose. Beginning to walk a little faster, she pushed aside the bushes in her path and saw a red post in the center of a clearing: the border marker between Vale and the southern Imilian mountains.  
  
A branch shook directly overhead. Mia jumped and glanced up between the branches, her gaze locking with a blue-eyed one. Stopping herself from sighing with relief, she asked, "Why are you still following me?"  
  
"... The guards will pass here soon. We must hide."  
  
"This is just a reason to keep me from crossing the border, isn't it?" she asked coldly.  
  
"No."  
  
A hand swiped at the water, and the image in the scrying pool dissolved. Alex leaned back, a cold smirk on his lips.  
  
--I'm surprised Mia managed to get so far that quickly, though I can't figure out who she's talking to. They must have a scry-blocker stone. Ah, well... it will be so much fun to see the looks on their faces when the guards search that very tree.--  
  
Alex laughed and poured himself a glass of fine wine, sipping it as he recalled the image. He contacted his guards using psynergy to tell them where his slaves was hiding, then settled back to watch as the image in the pool reappeared.  
  
Mia growled slightly from her perch on one of the tree branches. She was uncomfortable, tired, and hungry, and now she was being stopped from crossing the border to get home. She was about to whisper something resembling that to Isaac, but stopped when he tapped her shoulder twice and pointed. Peering through the leaves, she saw the two guards coming their direction, both readying their axes with full intention on using them.  
  
Green eyes widened. How could they have possibly known about the hiding place? She couldn't jump from tree to tree very well, and though the gem-studded collar she wore only blocked attacking spells, she knew she couldn't get out of this on her own.  
  
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.  
  
The two axes slammed into the tree, creating a rhythm that almost seemed to spell recapture. She saw that while Isaac bore no collar, he hadn't shown signs of being able to cast psynergy, so he must be a landen, or non-adept. But he wasn't showing any signs of moving to the next tree, either.  
  
--What is he doing? Why does he insist on staying like this, when he could save himself?--  
  
The tree was now sliced halfway through, and the guards showed no signs pf stopping. An icy hand of fear gripped Mia's heart, banished the next instant by two golden swords falling from the sky, slamming into the guards' bodies. They dropped dead in an instant, and the golden glow around Isaac disappeared.  
  
He dropped from the tree, grabbing one of the axes as he landed. The mercury adept climbed down more slowly, but made her way to the border marker without looking back until he called to her.  
  
"Take this." A blue-green gem sailed through the air, landing just in front of her feet. "It prevents scrying pools from being able to see you." The blond nodded slightly, then headed off into the trees, going southwest.  
  
"I..." Mia looked to the stone, picking it up in her left hand. With this in her possession, she could get all the way home without Alex knowing her whereabouts.  
  
--Maybe Isaac's not such a bad person after all.--  
  
She left as well, weaving her way north through the thinning trees.  
  
*********************************  
  
Alex cursed and threw the pool across the room.  
  
--I can't track Mia anymore! Damn that Isaac, giving her that stone!--  
  
Isaac, though a part of the resistance, wasn't any real bother to him. Mia, however... without her, there would be a serious problem. He glanced to his right, a black-and-white charcoal drawing of the ruling family just before they were thrown out hanging there. The children, a boy and a girl, both had long hair and faces that promised to be attractive come adulthood.  
  
--The boy will not live to that time, and if I have my way, the girl won't either. They are the top priority for elimination, superior even to the resistance.--  
  
Both, however, were too far out of reach for the time being. He didn't even know the exact location of either.  
  
--Only the boy could possibly know the truth about this all. The girl would be too young, so unless her brother told her, I shouldn't have to worry about her for a while... that, of course, would be under different circumstances. I MUST capture her, at all costs.--  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
Well, that's all for now, but I hope to get another update during the week, as I'm on vacation.  
  
Zephyr: After that, it's anybody's guess...  
  
Yeah, May is crazy for me. Heh heh... ^___^;;;  
  
Sap: REVIEW!!! We're SO close to breaking 100!!! 


	12. Reunion or Farewell?

Gwah. -=dies=-  
  
Flash: Don't mind her, she's just... dead.  
  
Mesoforte: Eh, thanks. Sorry it was such a long wait again.  
Li Kasumi: Well, I wouldn't call this "soon", but at least it's an update!  
Link015: I'd throw a frying pan at you, except I do the same thing. A lot. o.o;  
Capito Celcior: Oops! Thanks for pointing that out. I'm still learning German, so... I need to work on spelling. .  
Kadevi: You reviewed my story? YAY!!! -=bounces around=- -=needs to add more detail=- .  
The Mastah Classah: AA's are dumb, eh? -=shrugs=- This chapter's a bit longer... I think. o.o;  
  
Balm: pokes me  
  
-=still dead=-  
  
Sap: Eh, just start the story, she'll revive on her own.  
  
............................................................................ .......................................  
  
"Grandmother! I'm back!"  
  
An elderly woman turned to the door in time to see her tunic-clad granddaughter enter. She smiled warmly at her. "What took you so--Mia! Look at what you're wearing! Just a tunic, in such cold weather?!"  
  
Mia blushed slightly, responding that it was all she had with her at the time. Her grandmother "tsked", and ushered her to her room to change. Once the mercury adept had donned warmer clothes and a pale blue healer's robe, she returned to the main room of the small house.  
  
Her grandmother stoked the fire, cooking a somewhat thin soup over it, as food wasn't easy to come by in winter, living in such a remote area. Though only five miles away from Imil, capital of the eastern winter kingdom, it could have been 100 for all they could tell.  
  
Mia came forward as the old woman beckoned, sitting near the flickering fire for warmth. Soon, the soup was done, and her grandmother split it between them, setting two bowls aside for the orphans the family had taken in. They ate in an uncomfortable silence. Though only halfway finished with her soup, the elderly lady set her bowl down, asking Mia of what had passed. The mercury adept responded, telling the whole story.  
  
Firelight danced over the woman's face as she thought, a frown on her face, her forehead creased with worry. "Mia."  
  
"Yes, grandmother?"  
  
"There's something that I need to tell you."  
  
-=sching!=-  
  
-=sching!=-  
  
Felix grumbled about the noise as he woke up. Sleep had been a welcome release from all the hellish events of late. Even so, he left the relative comfort of his tent to find out the source of the disturbance.  
  
Not too far off from camp, he located Garet. The mars adept was determinedly sharpening his sword, pulling back every now and then to inspect or polish it. Jenna was there as well, having created a small light with her psynergy. She was studying an old map of the castle they'd found a while back. Upon hearing her brother's footsteps, she looked up.  
  
"You can't sleep either?"  
  
"Actually, Garet woke me up."  
  
The mars adept flashed an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I keep forgetting how keen your ears are at times."  
  
"Wow, you expanded your vocabulary again."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Jenna giggled as her brother and her best friend poked fun at each other. Slowly, dawn broke, waking the rest of the camp. Soft sounds of rustling cloth and a popping fire filled the air as the pre-dawn mist rose and dissipated.  
  
Briggs made his way over to the trio, Chaucha and Eoleo remaining by the fire to help with breakfast. The former captain of the guard stood behind Jenna, eyeing the castle map. He then took a pen, dipped it in a nearby ink bottle, and drew on several more passages.  
  
"I discovered all of these by mistake while wandering through the castle. You may find 'em useful. I doubt too many others, save possibly Alex, would know these secret halls well."  
  
"Hmm." Felix glanced over, and picked up the map. He sanded it to help the ink dry faster, then grabbed a piece of charcoal and lightly started tracing possible routes. Briggs stayed where he was, occasionally pointing out potential danger zones; areas where some of the guards often gathered.  
  
Meanwhile, Sheba was at her usual place down by the river. Once again, she mindspoke with the boy from before, the one who claimed to be a servant close to Alex. Though she still didn't really trust him, any information that had a chance of being true that she could glean from him would be useful.  
  
--Can you tell me what the heir looks like?--  
  
--Um, I've only seen a charcoal drawing in Alex's quarters... wait, why are you asking? You're close to him and his sister, right?--  
  
--True. Describe that drawing to me.--  
  
--Okay... it was done before Alex came and overthrew the previous lord, so I don't know how accurate the images will be. The girl has lighter hair and large eyes, but looks like she has a sweet personality.--  
  
--Sweet?!-- That didn't make sense... Jenna was the devil's incarnate at times, even when it wasn't THAT time of the month. --Go on.--  
  
--The boy has mischievous dark eyes and a warm smile. Everything else I could tell you about them wouldn't matter, it's only about the clothes.--  
  
--And the parents? Are they depicted there too?--  
  
--Yes. The father has a worn face and dark hair. His eyes are tired, but hold compassion. The mother has kind eyes and a slightly pinched face, as well as pure white hair.--  
  
Now THAT was odd. Jenna was too young to have remembered her parents very well, but Felix had said that his mother's hair was a dark magenta, not white... A snapping twig behind her made the jupiter adept freeze, and she bid the boy a hasty goodbye. Sheba's grip on her staff tightened, and she whirled only to meet an intense gaze.  
  
"So... you've returned."  
  
A nod.  
  
Sheba nodded in return, and beckoned to the newcomer. "Felix and Jenna are this way." The newcomer nodded again, and followed her through the trees.  
  
Ivan groaned, and leaned his head against the wall. Even though he was proud of his abilities as a jupiter adept, speaking mind-to-mind- over such a distance took a lot out of him. Piers stood in the doorframe, waiting patiently for him to recover.  
  
"Did you find anything new?"  
  
"No, but the girl seemed uncertain of my descriptions."  
  
"Of the family?" A slight frown crossed the mercury adept's face. "Odd. I mean, we know that she's with the heir and his sister... right?"  
  
Ivan sighed. "I'm not so sure anymore. Besides, she doesn't fully trust me yet."  
  
"Oh, how wonderful," came Piers' remark.  
  
Ivan glared. "That had better have been sarcastic. I'm too tired to tell right now." Piers gave a sheepish smile and mover over to where the shorter adept stood, casting ply on his head and toning his headache down ever so slightly. "Ah, thanks-"  
  
"No, thank YOU. I'm about to find the so-called RIGHTFUL lord and lady, and it's all thanks to you, my little caged birds." Alex moved out from behind the curtain which had previously concealed him, smirking evilly. "Now, my little caged birds... time to die."  
  
............................................................................ .......................................  
  
Zephyr: -=pokes me=- Nope, still dead.  
  
Sap: Well, she better revive to write the next chapter.  
  
Flash: Think reviews would help?  
  
Balm: Probably. REVIEW! 


	13. Return of a false past

-=hisses at plot=- /  
  
Balm: Is plot being bad again?  
  
YES.  
  
Plot: -=bounces off in another direction I hadn't intended to go in=- =}  
  
Hoo, boy.... -=chases after it=- NO!!! BAD!!! No touchie that!  
  
Plot: Oooooooo, I LIKE this! -=incorperates something unexpected into the story=- =D  
  
ARGH!!!!!!!! -.-  
  
Sap: Oooooooooooooooooooooo, lotsa reviews!  
  
The Mastah Classah: (x2, yes, I know that was you) Yes, yay you for being the first reviewer again! And as for the account being all weird, ouch, and, well... we all know that computers are stupid.  
Link015: Thanks for the revive, and though I wasn't gonna kill them off just yet (I might later... my story! I do what I want! D) the last thing I need right now is a rabid Mia on my tail. You'll see what happens.  
Mesoforte: Yeah, I know my update time has been slowed to a snail's pace or worse. It's what happens when you don't have writer's block, but don't have inspiration either.  
Daidairo: Oooooo, new reader!  
Inferno-hero: (x2) Ack! -=ducks the random djinni=- No pairings yet, but soon! Hopefully! The plot keeps twisting in ways I hadn't planned, sooo... I think this story is out to get me now. -=hisses at plot=-  
Samurai Knight: I'm not teeeeeeelling just yet! Keep reading as I write to find out. =}  
Li Kasumi: Thanks! I wasn't sure if that was a great cliffy, but... I guess it was. -=heart=-  
  
....................................................................  
  
"Y-you're alive! You're back!" Jenna surged up from her seat on a rock to hug the newcomer, who smiled and awkwardly hugged her as well, only to be knocked over by a sound slap to the back.  
  
"You idiot, making us worry like that! What in the nine bloody hells were you thinking-"  
  
"Garet, he only just got back. Let him rest for a bit before he has to endure one of your endless, pointless rants that falsely show great intellect."  
  
"YOU-"  
  
"Garet, calm down. No killing Felix."  
  
"Awwwwwwwwww....."  
  
Isaac chuckled as Jenna whacked Garet upside the head and yelled for him to stop whining. Briggs just looked at the situation, appearing to be torn between laughter and confusion. "Are they always like this?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"-and you always jump to false conclusions, Garet, and- ISAAC! Put a shirt on, or a tunic or something already!"  
  
"It took you that long to notice?" Sheba raised an eyebrow. "You must have gotten over your crush on him."  
  
Ignoring the fact that his sister was now screaming her head off at Sheba in the background, Felix turned to Isaac and said, "How, why, and when."  
  
Isaac responded similarly. "Karst, a fellow convict and recently."  
  
Garet just looked between the two. "How can you understand each other like that?" Both venus adepts shrugged. "Must be a silent idiot-hey, you don't have to hit me for that!" Felix just shook his shoulders and stood up, making as if to leave the clearing.  
  
"We launch the plan at dusk. Get some sleep, and Briggs, explain the whole thing to Isaac."  
  
"Very well."  
  
Right arm... nothing. Left arm... nothing. Both legs.... still nothing. Head... well, that's about it.  
  
Ivan scowled. Alex hadn't even killed them instantly. Rather, he had encased the room in layers of ice, which slowly grew outwards. He was trapped up to his neck, and Piers wasn't faring much better. He didn't like the look of the growing icicles either, especially the one right above his head.  
  
The mercury adept was trying to coax the ice into melting, but hadn't made much progress yet. Everything that melted froze again soon after, simply adding to their frozen prison.  
  
Ivan found himself wishing he could move even the littlest bit... if he could manage to reach what he had stolen from Alex a while back, perhaps he would be able to get out of the mess. Struggling to no avail, the jupiter adept began to panic a bit as ice crept over his chin.  
  
"Stop struggling. I don't know if it'll help at all, but might as well try it." Piers' shoulders were still free, so he managed a small shrug.  
  
"But I have to..."  
  
"Have to what, my little frozen quails?" Alex lounged in the doorframe, looking bored as ever. The dark-stained wood was the only part of the room not frozen, though it showed signs of starting to crack because of the cold. "You can't do anything about this, and if you try, the ice will only grow faster."  
  
"Since when does ice grow?"  
  
"And here I thought you were supposed to be smart. It's psyenergetic ice." Alex shook his head in annoyance. "Stupidity. One of the few things I absolutely CANNOT tolerate. Ah, well. Ta-ta for now, there are many other things that I have to do this afternoon. I'll be back in the morning to see how my little experiment is coming!" Alex winked before disappearing from view.  
  
The other mercury adept present waited a few more moments before asking, "What is it that you need to do?"  
  
"My back pocket. If I can reach it, we may be able to es-" Ivan was cut off as ice crept over his mouth. Piers nodded and focused his attention on the ice around Ivan's hands. Slowly, he coaxed the solid to melt, and the jupiter adept frantically reached into the aforementioned pocket and pulled something out. Grasping the azure cube-shaped stone in his hand, Ivan muttered a few words. Violet psynergy slowly surrounded him and Piers.  
  
Their vision blurred, ice becoming a misshapen mass as their vision went black, and all sensation of freezing stopped.  
  
The renegade camp was in a blur of motion as the sun dipped below the horizon. Those who were in the infiltration party were searching for and equipping various weapons and armor. Those for the distraction party found bows and arrows, slipping on leather armor and using black cloth to hide their hair and faces. Only their eyes showed, glinting in the waning light.  
  
Everyone else was either packing things up or helping the rest of the people. They needed to move to another location and erase all traces of having inhabited this one in the case that Alex's men should find a link between the attackers and the "traveling merchants" who had "passed through" recently.  
  
Jenna was helping Garet (who had misplaced his armor again, and had spent an hour looking for it) finish packing up his tent. While doing so, she thought about what Felix had told her only a few minutes ago.  
  
"Jenna, we are the rightful heirs to the Vale throne. It has been in the hands of the family descended from the most powerful of the creators of Sol Sanctum for centuries, and that would be us. To allow Alex to keep acting as ruler like this... is unacceptable. Surely, you must agree."  
  
The mars adept sighed. While she agreed that Alex must be overthrown, there just seemed to be something ever so slightly wrong with the story.  
  
Shrugging it off, Jenna stood as she finished her work. Now was the time to start focusing on how to get through the hidden passages of the castle quickly and silently. She could worry about her brother's words later.  
  
Mia rushed out of the house, ignoring her grandmother's cries and not even bothering to grab a heavier cloak on the way out. Chaotic thoughts and denial swirled in her head; her grandmother must be lying, it couldn't be true! It just couldn't.... could it?  
  
The healer slowed down to avoid slipping as she crossed a frozen river, headed for a familiar glade she always went to when she needed to think. She knelt on the raised, frozen earth as her fingers traced an engraved stone. Tears slipped out of her eyes, clouding her vision. Still, she didn't need to see the stone to know what it read.  
  
"Here lies one of unknown origin, bringing us our future healer in times of need. Rest in peace, young child."  
  
Mia's trembling lips slowly formed words, speaking her thoughts quietly to the lone bird sitting on a branch above her. "I... I never knew him. I was too young to... I didn't even know at all, I just came here because I liked this place... and now, I have to take on his duties, whether I like it or not."  
  
The bird tilted its head to one side, the fluffed it's feathers and shook off a bit of snow that had fallen on it. Managing a weak chuckle at the comical sight, the mercury adept continued. "It's not a very fair world, is it... I mean, I never even knew. I don't want to have to leave this place, little bird... I just want to stay here, in the peaceful, snowy mountains. I don't want to have to go back."  
  
Now the bird bobbed its head and flew off. She stared after it for a long while, thinking about how similar it was to her current situation. Everything she had thought was true about her life was gone, replaced with a new, desolate reality.  
  
............................................................................ ........................  
  
-=dancing around=- Plot twists! Plot twists! Plot twists galore! D  
  
Balm: At least you didn't do a TRIPLE cliffhanger this time. -.-  
  
Flash: I hate it when she does this. She won't write for more than two weeks, then abruptly, she'll be reading something that has nothing to do with a story and listening to music.  
  
Zephyr: And THEN she'll stop reading in order to bang out a chapter in less than two hours while siezed by unexpected inspiration!  
  
Sap: Hey! It's a really good chapter this time!  
  
THIS time?! -=tosses a sledgehammer at Sap=- /  
  
Plot: Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!! -=bouncing around all over the place=- =}  
  
I wish that I could write a story that follows my original plans for a change... -=goes off to try to restrain the plot=-  
  
Plot: -=bounces into the next room=- Imma no let you catchie me! O   
  
Balm: Eeeeps, that doesn't look good. Review! 


End file.
